Ship&#39;s sprinkler system



Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNl'l'ED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sprinkler systems and more particularly in sprinkler systems for ships.

One object of this invention is a sprinkler system adapted to be operated and controlled entirely below decks so long as the engine room is in operation and thereafter to be operated from above decks until the systems reserve supply is exhausted.

Another object is to conserve the emergency water supply as long as possible.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description which follows.

In accordance with this invention the sprinkler system is connected with a primary source of water (or chemical fluid) supply situated below decks which supply is maintained under substantially constant pressure and is constantly replenished as required with sea water, said pri- '20 mary source of water supply being supplemented by a secondary supply of a reserve or emergency nature drawn in the first instance from said primary supply and thereafter separated therefrom at the will of the operator to be reconnected with the sprinkler system after the failure of the primary supply, whereby the pressure system is converted to a gravity system, until said secondary supply is no longer required or becomes exhausted. The system is further equipped with pressure gauges located in various parts of the ship to immediately and visibly indicate any trouble condition developing in the system sufficient to cause any loss of pressure therein. Means is also provided to automatically prevent any return flow of water to the primary source of supply, as well as to automatically prevent any loss of pressure in said system in the event of a temporary compression failure. The sprinkler system is also provided with tandem sets of air pumps and water pumps operated from different sources of motive power to further lessen the risk of break down in the event of power failure.

In the drawing comprising but a single sheet of one figure, one embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically set forth.

The drawing is a vertical section of a ships hull looking forward with the internal bulkheads omitted and with the super-structure removed and including a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of said ships sprinkler system.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.

5 For convenience the ships hull 9 is shown subdivided by means of a central bulk-head I0 extending from the ships bottom to the main deck II. A plurality of lower decks I2-I3 serve to Yfurther sub-divide the hull into a plurality of port (left) `and starboard (right) deck compart- 5 ments which may be utilized for passengers, crew, engines, or cargo space, as circumstancesv require. As shown in the drawing, it is assumed that the lowermost third of the hull extending below the lowermost deck I2-I3 in- 10 cludes the port and starboard engine rooms ER I and ER 2 respectively.

For purposes 'of illustration only, it is assumed -that the port side of the ship is equipped with a sprinkler system employing sea water as a fire 1'5 extinguishing medium; and that the starboard side of the ship is equipped with a sprinkler system employing chemicals in solution as a -re extinguishing medium. Either system may be used interchangeably. In general however, the space occupied by passengers and crew would be equipped with a sprinkler system employing sea water as a re extinguishing medium; and the use of chemicals as a re extinguishing medium confined to the sprinkler system installed in the '-25 holds.

Branch sprinkler pipes I6 extend between the various lower decks I2 so spaced from the deck as to allow free head room. The compartments on the starboard side between decks I3 are similarly "30 provided with branch sprinkler pipes I1. The pipes I5 all connect with riser pipe I4, which extends from lower water tank 56 in the port engine room ER I to the deck tank I8 located above the i y'main deck II in any suitable place. Water tank '35 '55 is of relatively large capacity, and is utilized as the primary source of supply; deck tank I8 is of relatively smaller capacity and is used as a -secondary source of supply, being held in reserve I for emergency use in the vevent of engine room 40 failure. The starboard engine room ER 2 is provided with a chemical tank 51 connected to riser pipe I5 leading to starboard deck tank I9. Chemical tank 51 is of relatively large capacity, and is intended to be used as the primary source of fluid chemical supply, while deck tank I9 is o! relatively Ysmaller capacity, and is intended to be used as a reserve (emergency) supply in the event of engine room failure. The branch sprinkler pipes l1 are connected to riser pipe I5 at the'50 various deck levels, it being understood that pipes I'I are installed so as to allow free head room. Deck tanks I8 and I9 are connected With riser pipes I4 and I5 respectively by means of control valves 20 and 2 I. Deck tanks I8 and I9 may also 55 be equipped with bleed Valves 22 and 23, and with valves or air vents 84 and 85 for venting any accumulation of air or gas from said tanks. Riser pipes i4 and I5 are equipped with bleed valves 24 and preferably located below the lowermost sprinkler pipes I 6 and I1, although it should be understood that several sets of bleed valves 24 and 25 may be provided dependent upon the capacity of the system. Water tank 56 and chemical tank 51 may also be equipped with bleed valves 28 and 29 respectively, at the point where riser pipe I4 (or l5) connects with water tank 56 (or chemical tank 51).

It should be understood that the deck tanks I8 and I9 are respectively filled from the main tanks 56 and 51 by way of riser pipes I4 and I5. Similarly the branch sprinkler pipes I6 and I1 are lled with water or chemical fluid under pressure from main tanks 55 and 51. To prevent the return ow of fiuid from branch pipes IS and I1 or riser pipes I4 and I5 due to pressure failure in itanks 56 or 51, riser pipes I4 and I5 are further equipped with vertical check Valves 26 and 21 respectively. Check valves 25 and 21 allow the water or other iiuidV to flow in one direction only, namely: upwards in riser pipes I4 and I5, but close automatically to prevent the return of any water or fluidfrom the riser pipes into the tanks 56 and 51. After the deck tanks I 8 and I9 have been filled, the control valves 2B and 2| are closed to conserve the water or chemical uid for emergency use in case of engine room failure.

Water tank 56 is replenished with sea water by means of pumps 46 or 56, the former being electrically operated by motor 44 and the latter by a suitable steam turbine or other prime mover 48. Pumps 46 and 56 are connected in tandem, the sea water being pumped into the water tank 56 over pipe line 60. Sea water for the pumps is obtained through water main 52 and sea-cock 54, the sea-cock being piped to sea water through the hull or ships bottom in any preferred manner. Tank 51 is likewise connected by way of feed main 6I to pumps 41 and 5I arranged in tandem. These pumps are likewise connected by main line 53 and sea-cock 55 to sea water. Pumps 41 and 5I are independently driven, the former by an electric motor 45 and the latter by a steam turbine or othersuitable prime mover 49.

Main tanks 58 and 51 are respectively connected to air compressors 30 and 3l to maintain the necessary pressure in riser pipes I4 and I5 and sprinkler pipes I6 and I 1. Air compressors 30 and `3| may likewise be provided with bleed valves 32 and 33. The compressed-air is connected from air compressor 3!) to main tank 56 by way of pipe 66, control valve 62 and swinging check Valve 64.

`Similarly, compressed air is connected to main tankV 51 over pipe 61v by way of control valve 63. Air chambers 58V and 59 tend to reduce water hammer. Swinging check valves 64 and 65. are so arranged that while permitting compressed air to iiow from air compressors 30 and 3| to main tanks 56 and 51, they are closed to prevent loss of compression in the event the pressure in air compressor 30 (or 3| as the case may be) falls below the pressure of the corresponding main tank.

Pumps 34 and 38 are connected to compressor 38 by way of air main 42 to maintain sufficient air pressure in air compressor 36 to operate the sprinkler system. Pumps 34 and 38 are arranged in tandem, the former being driven by an electric motor, 36 and the latter by Va suitable steam turbine or other prime mover 40. The pumps 34 and 46 are connected to air riser 80 which passes upward to the chart house or bridge 8 where it terminates in a return bend 82. By terminating air riser 80 in the chart house or bridge 8 the risk of the air riser being plugged either accidentally or intentionally is eliminated, because the return bend 82 is under the supervision of the ocer on watch at all times. Starboard air riser 8| is similarly terminated in a return bend 83 located in the chart house or bridge 8.

`Starboard compressor 3l is provided with pumps and 39 connected in tandem over air main 43, the former being driven from an electric motor 31 and the latter from a suitable steam turbine or other prime mover 4I. The provision of tandem water and air pumps independently driven from different power sources reduces the risk of system failure due to a partial break down of the ships power, it being the intention to maintain and insure effective operation of the sprinkler system'as long as possible unless there is a total break down in the engine rooms ER I and ER 2. It should be understood that while for purposes of illustration engine rooms ER I and ER. 2 Vare shown adjacent to each other they could be entirely separated, one located forward and the other aft, or in any other preferred manner to reduce the risk of simultaneous engine room failure.

The open ends of return bends 82 and 83 may be protected by means of a suitable wire grill or network which while permitting the entrance of air into air risers 88 and 8l will prevent the entrance of foreign articles such as paper, cotton waste or the like which might tend to plug the air risers.

The chemicals in mixing tank 51 may be kept in mixed condition by agitation. Mixing pump 81 which circulates the chemicals by way of tank 51, pipe 89, pump 81, pipe SI to tank 51 again shows one form of agitation means. Pump 81 or other agitator is driven by a suitable electric motor or other prime mover (not shown).

Deck tanks I8 and i9 may be supplemented by one or more emergency pumps 88 connected to sea Water over emergency pump pipe line 86 and its associated sea-cock, and to deck tanks I8 and I9 by emergency pump pipe line 90. While for purposes of illustration pump 88 is shown piped to deck tank I 8, it should be understood that pump 88 may be similarly connected to deck ,tank I9, or that a plurality of emergency pumps `feet of the water line, which allows a factor of safety for satisfactory suction. Pump 88 may be driven by any suitable prime mover as for eX- ample a small gasoline engine (not shown). It may also be arranged so that it can be operated manually, in case of engine failure. In case of engine room failure deck tanks I8 and I9 can be replenished by the operation of emergency pump 88 thereby keeping the sprinkler branch pipes`I6 and I 1 lled with sea water so long as is necessary in order to extinguish the re or until the system fails entirely or the-order to abandon ship is given.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In a ships sprinkler system and in combination, a main water tank, said tank being positioned below decks, means operable to supply sea water to said main tank, an auxiliary water tank,

ITO

said auxiliary tank being positioned above decks, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said main and auxiliary tanks, a plurality of branch sprinkler pipes extending throughout the ship between decks and connected to said riser pipe at said various levels, means including an air compressor connected to said main tank and operable to force water from said main tank into said auxiliary tank and said branch pipes by way of said riser pipe, a check valve positioned in said riser pipe adjacent said main tank for automatically preventing the return of water from said branch pipes or said auxiliary tank to said main tank, and means operable to shut off said auxiliary tank from said riser and branch pipes.

2. In a ships sprinkler system and in combination, a main water tank positioned below decks, means operable to supply sea water to said main tank, an auxiliary water tank positioned above decks, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said main and auxiliary tanks, a plurality of branch sprinkler pipes extending throughout the ship between decks and connected to said riser pipe at said various deck levels, an air compressor, a pipe and swinging valve connection between said air compressor and said main tank to maintain water in said riser and branch pipes and to replenish the supply of water in said auxiliary tank, an automatic check valve positioned in said riser pipe adjacent the main tank for preventing the return -of water from said riser pipe to said main tank, and a manually operated valve for shutting ofi said auxiliary tank from said riser and branch pipes.

3. In a ships sprinkler system and in combination, a lower deck main tank, an upper deck reserve tank, a plurality of branch pipes extending between decks, said branch pipes having valve vented sprinkler outlets therein, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said lower and upper tanks and connected to said branch pipes at said various deck levels, means operable to supply sea water to said lower tank, means operable to supply water from said lower tank to said branch pipes and upper tank by Way of said riser pipe and to replenish the same when needed, a check valve in said riser pipe for automatically preventing the return of water from said riser pipe to said lower tank, and valve mechanism for closing 01T the connection between said riser pipe and said auxiliary tank.

4. A ships sprinkler system comprising a main water tank positioned below decks, a supply pipe connecting said tank with sea water, means operable to control the passage of sea water through said supply pipe to said main tank, an auxiliary water tank positioned above decks, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said main and auxiliary tanks, a plurality of branch sprinkler pipes extending throughout the ship between decks and connected to said riser pipe at said various deck levels, means including an air corri- `pressor connected to said main tank and operable to force water Yfrom said main tank into said auxiliary tank and said branch pipes by way of said riser pipe, and means operable to prevent the return of water from said reserve tank and branch pipes to said main tank.

5. A ships sprinkler system comprising a main water tank positioned below decks, a supply pipe connecting said tank with sea water, means operable to control the passage of sea water through said supply pipe to said main tank, an auxiliary water tank positioned above decks, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said main and auxiliary tanks, a plurality of branch sprinkler pipes extending throughout the ship between decks and connected to said riser pipe at said various deck levels, an air compressor, a pipe and swinging valve connection between said air cornpressor and said main tank to maintain water in said riser and branch pipes and to replenish the supply of water in said auxiliary tank, and an automatic check valve positioned in said riser pipe adjacent the main tank for preventing the return of water to said main tank.

6. A ships sprinkler system comprising a lowerdeck main tank; an upper-deck reserve tank, a plurality of branch pipes extending between decks, said branch pipes having valve vented sprinkler outlets therein, a riser pipe interconnecting the lower portions of said main and reserve tanks and connected to said branch pipes at said various deck levels, a supply pipe connecting said main tank with sea water, means operable to control the passage of sea water to said main tank, means operable to supply water from said main tank to said branch pipes and said reserve tank by way of said riser pipe and to replenish the same when needed, and a check valve in said riser pipe for automatically preventing the return of water from said riser pipe to said main tank.

EDWARD A. POI-ILMAN. 

